NT amatuer fishers back new fishing code

The Northern Territory Amatuer Fisherman's Association says it is encouraging its members to adopt a new national fishing code of practice.

Fishing lobbyists Recfish Australia yesterday introduced an updated version of its national code.

The Amatuer Fisherman's Association's Chris Makepeace says the biggest change to the code is emphasis, including more focus on habitat protection and fish handling.

"When we did the last survey in the Territory, out of 1.6 million fish that were caught, nearly a million of them were released," he said.

"So the way in which these fish are handled is really important because people are releasing fish with an expectation that they'll survive and can be caught again, so it's really important that it be done properly."

The Northern Territory branch of WWF Australia says it also supports the new national fishing code of practice and has praised the code's statements on habitat protection and monitoring.

The WWF's Brydie Hill says the code also encourages recreational anglers to be involved in scientific and community-based monitoring of fish species.

"I think it's great that they've developed a code of practice for recereational fishing," she said.

"It's pretty applicable to the Territory; we have lots of recreational fishers up here and although it's quite general I think it covers all the bases."

Ms Hill says the WWF is running a program in the Territory to protect the endangered sawfish and she has encouraged all anglers to report any sawfish sightings.

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